A copy of this contract will be sent to you upon completion of the enquiry registration form and is available here for your perusal. I ask that you read it carefully and discuss any queries or concerns with me at assessment.
This contract outlines the commitment between you and I for your weekly counselling.
Professional Registration
I am registered with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy and am fully
qualified to offer therapeutic support
I am bound by the Codes of Ethics and Practice of the British Association of Counselling
and Psychotherapy (BACP). A copy of the code of practice and ethics is available on
request, or may be viewed on the BACPs website here
Session Format & Payment
You are offered counselling with Serenity of Mind Therapy which comprises weekly sessions, of 50 minutes each at an agreed day and time. This will be your weekly slot and not offered to someone else until an ending is agreed or treatment terminated.
Late attendance
In the event of late attendance, you will be seen for the remainder of your session time.
Please note that session times cannot be extended past the normal session slot and you
will be invoiced for the full session fee.
Missed/Cancelled Sessions
I ask that you provide as much notice as possible for any planned breaks or missed sessions. If you are unable to attend a session at short notice, please email or call me. Since your time slot will remain reserved for you unless we explicitly agree to end our work together, you will be invoiced for any missed sessions unless otherwise agreed (see below).
For cancellations, I require at least 24 hours’ notice. If a session is not cancelled at least 24 hours in advance, the full session fee will be charged.
I will provide as much notice as possible for my own planned breaks, aiming to give at least 4 weeks’ notice. There will be no charge for breaks that I take.
If you ever find the sessions unusually difficult, I encourage you to discuss this with me rather than ending the counselling abruptly. I am trained to help you explore and understand whatever may be troubling you about the sessions.
Fees
Payment of your session is due prior to or on the date of your session. Payment can be
made via bank transfer (please use your initials or surname as reference) using the bank
details below:
• Name on Account: Serenity of Mind Therapy
• Bank: The Co-operative Bank
• Account Number: 63195033
• Sort Code: 08-92-50
We can discuss an alternative payment such as cash, if you do not have access to online
banking.
If outstanding invoices are not paid within 7 days Serenity of Mind Therapy reserves the right to terminate therapy, releasing your session slot and making it available for use by other clients. Please note unpaid amounts may be collected through legal processes. Please note unpaid amounts may be collected through legal processes.
Please be aware that fees are reviewed annually and may be increased, typically by approximately £5. You will receive advance notice of any changes.
Continuing Professional Development and Clinical Supervision
As part my BACP registration I am required to carry out continuing professional
development and to engage in regular on-going clinical supervision. This is to ensure an
ethical and professional service to clients. I may discuss your case in supervision but would
not use any identifying details.
Contact Outside of Sessions
We will not meet or have contact outside of the counselling relationship, except for brief email, phone, or text communication to arrange sessions.
I do not generally engage with clients in public unless we have previously agreed to do so. If we encounter each other in public, I will take your lead in interacting to maintain the confidentiality of our work. I also ask that clients respect my privacy boundaries. Ideally, only brief exchanges of pleasantries should take place to uphold my right to a private life outside of our work together.
I cannot provide an emergency service. If you are struggling to cope or feel you are at breaking point, you can access same-day or next-day support by calling NHS 111 and selecting the mental health option. This will connect you to a 24/7 mental health crisis line. Alternatively, you should contact your GP urgently. You can also call the Samaritans on 116 123. If you or someone you are concerned about is at immediate risk of danger, self-harm, or suicide, please call 999 immediately.
My professional social media accounts exist primarily to advertise my services and activities; they are not intended as a means of communication outside of sessions. It is not generally expected that clients will follow my public social media platforms. However, if they do, I will take care to safeguard confidentiality.
Confidentiality
Whatever we discuss within a session is kept in strict confidence but within the codes of
ethics and legal requirements
Confidentiality does not apply where it would mean that I might break the law or where
withholding information means I would breach the codes of ethics.
Confidentiality may be breached if I consider there is a risk you may harm yourself or
others. In such exceptional circumstances, where there is concern for your well-being or
that of others, it may be necessary to seek help outside the therapeutic relationship. In
such an event where I might be considering breaching confidentiality, you will normally be
consulted in advance.
In the case of a disclosure concerning acts of terrorism, vulnerable adult or child protection
risk or drug trafficking, confidentiality will be breached and such disclosures will be passed
onto the relevant authority without delay. Due consideration should be exercised before
disclosing anything of a previously unreported criminal nature, as I might be
obligated to contact relevant authorities.
General Data Protection Legislation
Notes may be taken during and after each session, which will be kept in accordance with
the Data Protection Act (1998). These notes will be securely stored. I can discuss the
disposal, retention or otherwise of any such notes at the end of your engagement should
you so wish. They are disclosed to no one other than the clinical supervisor, unless
required under a court of law subpoena. You have the right to inspect your records should
you so wish, and this request will be fulfilled during a therapy session.
I will take steps to maximise the security of your personal data from a physical or electronic
breach. Your contact details which I need to enable me to work with you will be securely
kept and kept only for the duration of your counselling.
Serenity of Mind Therapy is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and its
Privacy Policy is available to read here.
Notice of Termination
In the event of you deciding not to return to sessions please note that I require a minimum of 48 hours explicit written notice of termination of this contract in order to make your reserved slot available to other clients, failing which you will be charged for such unattended sessions until confirmation of ending is received. In order to avoid charging you for unused slots, should a reserved slot be unattended for 3 consecutive weeks without communication the reservation on the session slot will be released and it will be made available for use by other clients. In such instances you will be invoiced for the unused sessions, but for no further sessions after the reservation is released.
Drugs and Alcohol
Sessions will not take place if you arrive under the influence of alcohol or non-prescribed
medication. This will be to ensure your wellbeing during sessions and that you are able to
fully consent to any disclosures or work that you might do during a session. Please note
that you will be invoiced for sessions unused due to intoxication.
Violence
Please note any threats, attempts of intimidation or acts of violence will invalidate this
agreement and therapy will cease immediately. Such actions may be reported to the police
if appropriate.
Clinical Diagnosis and Reports
I will not be able to make any clinical or occupational diagnosis on your behalf, or to any
third-party agencies/services. Should you wish me to share any information with a third-
party agency, service or person you will be asked to provide your express consent and
clear instructions of the details you would wish to be shared. In the event of requesting a
supporting letter confirming attendance or themes of distress, I will decide whether I am competent to write such a report – please discuss with me in session. Please note that any reports or letters requested will incur a fee based on the time required to complete them, charged at the standard session rate of £65 per 50 minutes. The final cost will be calculated proportionally to the time spent on the task.
Complaints and Concerns
In the event of you being unhappy with the service you receive, please discuss this with
me, or alternatively you have the right to complain to my professional body, the BACP here.
Acceptance of Contract
Please note that attendance of ongoing sessions after an initial assessment with me constitutes acceptance of this Client Service Contract and its full terms conditions.